What you hear about the symptoms of menopause is notoriously negative. Raving about this period of a woman’s life is not a common occurrence! From uncomfortable night sweats to decreased sexual desire and hot flashes, menopausal symptoms are anything but fun, to say the least. Menopause produces a lot of bodily changes that are not always pleasant, and going through this time is something many women dread. 

All the fear surrounding this big life transition doesn’t make menopause easier to enter. If you are anxious about menopause, the best thing you can do is inform yourself about it. Menopause is defined as 12 consecutive months without a period, during which time a series of symptoms can occur. There are several stages in the menopause journey, which we detail below: 

• Premenopause: The beginning of premenopause may be gradual, and some women don’t initially realize the symptoms, including irregular periods, mood swings, and sleep troubles. 
• Perimenopause: If a woman has not menstruated in one year, she has transitioned into menopause. During this time, she may find an increase in symptoms, such as hot flashes, night sweats, sleep troubles, and irritability. 
• Postmenopause: A phase when a woman may feel her life settling back down. Menopause symptoms tend to die down or vanish and energy levels may be restored. 

Get behind the truth of menopausal symptoms by learning about the following myths about menopause. 

You Can’t Do Anything To Relieve Symptoms

Many people in menopause believe that it is impossible to avoid hot flashes and other uncomfortable symptoms. It’s as though you have to smile through the pain without any relief. You don’t have to suffer through menopausal symptoms, especially if they limit your quality of life. You can always speak with your doctor to discuss treatment options if symptoms are awful. Many natural remedies can reduce the severity of hot flashes, and you can click here to learn about them. Additionally, lifestyle changes like regular exercise can help boost mood, manage weight, and reduce hot flashes in menopausal people. 

Menopause Is The Same For Everyone

Menopause is seldom the same for every person, as perimenopause may start earlier and last longer for different women. Studies show that it lasts longer for women of color than for non-Latina white women. Other research suggests that Latina women and non-Latina Black women experience more frequent hot flashes, sleep disturbances, and depression. Non-Latina Asian women are more likely to report decreased sex drive. Factors that influence the overall experience include cultural norms, general environment, income level, and even personal beliefs. 

Menopause Starts In Your 50s 

The median age for menopause is 51, but many women transition into menopause much earlier. Statistically, there is a wider age range for menopause than many people realize. The majority of women start entering menopause between the ages of 40 and 58, but some can start in their 30s, or as late as their 60s. All that is to say that every person’s menopausal timeline is different.

Menopause Causes Depression

Experts confirm the fact that menopause, in and of itself, does not cause depression. Menopause may lead to mood swings or foggy thinking, which stem from hormonal imbalances, but you can address these symptoms with various modalities. Hormone therapy, for example, is a very popular treatment to help reduce mood swings, especially if they are severe. 

Menopause Destroys Your Sex Drive

Don’t fret about losing your libido if menopause is on the horizon. Menopause is not a death sentence for your sex drive! Postmenopausal sexual interest, or lack thereof, is influenced by several factors. Relationship status, psychological well-being, and the way you feel about sex, femininity, and aging influence your sexual desire. Basically, hormonal changes that occur during menopause are one piece of the puzzle, and that goes to show that menopause affects everyone’s sex drive differently. 

Menopause Is Miserable

Most women who go through menopause experience mild to moderate symptoms. Even if the symptoms are uncomfortable or disruptive at times, menopause is not the end of the world. In fact, many women consider it to be quite freeing when you look at it through a different lens. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) becomes a thing of the past and you don’t have to deal with menstrual cycles or any related products. You can say goodbye to concerns about unplanned pregnancy or the need for birth control. If you are not monogamous, however, you still need protection from STIs.

Vincent Stevens

Vincent Stevens is the senior content writer at Dherbs. As a fitness and health and wellness enthusiast, he enjoys covering a variety of topics, including the latest health, fitness, beauty, and lifestyle trends. His goal is to inform people of different ways they can improve their overall health, which aligns with Dherbs’ core values. He received his bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of Redlands, graduating summa cum laude. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.